Nets Draft Notebook: Peterson, Boozer, Dybantsa Take Over Barclays Center

Nets On SI evaluated the stacked 2026 NBA Draft class live at Barclays Center.

Apr 1, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; McDonald's All American West guard Darryn Peterson (22) and McDonald's All American East forward Cameron Boozer (12) pose for photos after the game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images / Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — The 2026 NBA Draft promises to be generational, and Brooklyn was treated to a preview one year early as the 2025 McDonald’s All American class took over Barclays Center for the evening (and the HSS Training Center in prior days). Nets On SI was on hand at this year’s McDonald’s All American Games to evaluate the likes of AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and more.

That consensus top three in 2026 teases NBA franchises with the possibility of acquiring a generational talent. That word cannot be tossed around loosely, but Dybantsa, Boozer and Peterson fit that bill. 

The Brooklyn Nets, in the middle of a full-on rebuild, also enter the category of teams in the league that could use an injection of talent. Next year’s draft gives the team that exact opportunity. The Nets have an extensive treasure chest of draft assets, but one of the most valuable is owning their first-rounder in 2026.

Dybantsa is a rangy, primary initiating wing who gets to the rim at will and has come on leaps and bounds as a shooter and passer. He has been unbelievably productive at every level so far and plays somewhat like a larger Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Dybantsa reclassified to the high school class of 2025 to play college basketball next year, where he’ll make his case at BYU to be the No. 1 pick in 2026. The incoming Cougars freshman finished with 17 points in 24 minutes, and it was actually a quieter display than what Dybantsa has accustomed evaluators to.

Boozer, the son of Carlos Boozer, is an ultra-efficient forward with an incredible track record of winning at the high school level. Earlier in his career, Boozer was more of an at-rim bully who used his superior strength and frame to finish everything at the basket. In recent years, he’s developed into more of a face-up threat who can also push the ball in transition, attack the rim in the half-court and create his own shot from the perimeter. Boozer faces some questions over whether he’s a 4 or a 5-man at the next level, and he doesn’t have the same level of run-and-jump athleticism as Dybantsa or Peterson, but his two-way production is undeniable. The Duke commit was one of the game’s co-MVPs after a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double.

Peterson is a silky smooth shooter with suave athleticism that makes it seem like he’s gliding in the air when going up for a dunk. He was the other co-MVP of the All-American boys’ game. The rising Kansas freshman plays similarly to a bouncier Damian Lillard and his 18 points felt effortless. Peterson had 58 points against Dybantsa earlier this year, as well as 33 on Boozer, and it wouldn’t be a shock if he ended up as 2026’s No. 1 pick despite maybe currently lacking their name recognition. 

If anyone can compete against the Dybantsa-Boozer-Peterson top three — in some order — it might be Nate Ament. The 18-year-old Virginia native stands around 6-foot-9 and moves very fluidly while having projectable shooting and ballhandling outcomes. Ament has to keep refining his game, but he seems like a dribble/pass/shoot prospect while also looking the part in terms of positional dimensions. Ament, who scored 12 points on Tuesday night and caught the eye of NBA personnel all event long, is yet to make a college decision.

Further down the draft, where the Nets could also find value around the top 10 range, the likes of Tounde Yessoufou, Caleb Wilson, Brayden Burries and Chris Cenac Jr. are also interesting options. Yessoufou is an incoming Baylor wing who’s built like a linebacker, connects two-way events and has developed his perimeter game. He had Barclays Center buzzing with his tremendous open court athleticism. Wilson, off to North Carolina, is a defensive-minded forward not too far away from a Jonathan Isaac type of player. Burries is a slash-first, heady guard who is choosing between Alabama, Arizona, Oregon, Tennessee and USC for college. Cenac, the Houston commit, is a versatile 4-man who can face-up, post-up, rebound and handle, but who needs more night-to-night consistency.

#Nets forwards Trendon Watford and Noah Clowney at Barclays watching McDonald’s All American action feat. AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer, Darryn Peterson, etc. pic.twitter.com/amwpM3Bc3H

— Wilko (@wilkomcv) April 2, 2025

Meleek Thomas, Alijah Arenas and Mikel Brown Jr. are great high school players and intriguing draft prospects but with slightly unclear short-term college projections. For Thomas, he needs to tame his wildest instincts as a point guard. He’s a tantalizing talent from the Overtime Elite pipeline who plays comparably to Rob Dillingham, although Thomas is bigger. Arenas, the son of Gilbert Arenas, has regularly scored points galore in high school but against relatively weak competition compared to the rest of his class. He’ll need to make a step-up at USC while also filling out his lanky frame. Brown is a dynamic ballhandler who can break defenders down off the dribble and make a variety of shots, but he’s similarly skinny as he gets ready to go to Louisville.

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